Set-up
by Bridlin
Summary: Inspired by the sneak peeks for 5x05, Probable Cause. Mild spoilers based on sneak peeks only. My first ever fan fiction. Grateful for all feedback - positive and negative vut particularly constructive. Three short chapters. I'll write more if there's any interest in reading more. Thanks for positive feedback. Chapter 6 now posted.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Rick sat next to his lawyer in the interrogation room. It wasn't the first time he'd been on the wrong side of the table but this was different. He waited for her to come back into the room to continue the questioning with that ugly look of doubt in her eyes. He knew he should be worried about being the prime suspect in a horrendous ritualistic murder of some poor woman. He shouldn't be thinking about anything else. He should be devoting himself to trying to work out how his fingerprints could have been found at the scene of a crime when he'd never been there before that morning and had never seen the victim until he had looked up at her tied to the ceiling. That was the real danger and he needed to focus on it but all he could think about was the doubt in Beckett's eyes, her questions about where he'd been on Friday night. How could she think he was capable of such a terrible act? How could she not know him after all this time and all they'd been through together, particularly in the last few months? He loved her unconditionally and he'd begun to believe that Kate Beckett really loved him back. The hurt and pain that came with knowing that she didn't was overwhelming him and he knew he had to rein it in if he was going to be able to get himself out of this hole.

He stiffened as the door opened, clenching his jaw, readying himself to deal with her doubt. But it wasn't her. Esposito walked in with less than his usual swagger, his unusually serious eyes meeting Castle's. Ryan followed, chewing his lip. He didn't look up at Castle until he sat in the chair opposite him.

'Where's Beckett?' He knew there were more important things to say but this was the question dominating his mind, 'Is she so certain I'm guilty that she doesn't even want to look at me?'

Esposito leaned towards him. 'What are you talking about, man? Despite all the evidence - and there's plenty of evidence – all she's been saying is that it's not true, that you couldn't have done this. She's put herself on the line for you.'

'Then why did she arrest me? Why didn't she talk to me? Why did she interrogate me like I was a murderer?' said Castle leaning forward, elbows on the table, confronting Esposito angrily.

'You might remember it was me who arrested you,' said Esposito, his body language echoing Castle's so that their faces were only inches apart, 'I arrested you because Beckett couldn't bear to. She wanted to stay on the case so that she could clear you but she couldn't put the handcuffs on you. Not this time.'

'But she questioned me like she thought I was guilty. She kept asking me how my fingerprints had got in the apartment and…' Castle trailed off, his eyes filling with tears as he remembered the look on Beckett's face.

'She hasn't for one moment thought that you could have done this,' said Ryan quietly, 'but she's having trouble understanding why you were caught on CCTV buying the victim jewellery and how your fingerprints were in the apartment if, as you claim, you didn't know her. And there's the small matter of the barbed wire and hooks in your apartment.'

'Yeah, I'm having some trouble understanding all that too,' said Castle crossing his arms as he sat back in the chair.

Ryan turned his hands upwards and raised his brows.

'But if she thinks I didn't do it why didn't she tell me? Why did she question me like that?' Castle paused, trying to understand what Kate was doing. He looked straight at Ryan, 'She thinks I was sleeping with that woman. Is that it?'

Ryan shot a quick glance at Esposito.

'Hell, none of us understand why you don't come clean about it. We all know you're not exactly a monk, Castle,' Esposito snapped.

'But I wouldn't… She must know…' Castle leaned his head forward and pressed his fingers to his head. Trying to process what this meant. She knew he was innocent. That was good, really good. But she thought he'd been cheating on her. That was not good. How could she think he would do that?

'What would you think if the tables were turned, Castle?' asked Ryan.

'I wouldn't have thought for a second she could be the murderer.'

'Nor did she.'

'But I wouldn't have thought…'

Esposito interrupted him. 'Fingerprints, man, and CCTV evidence. What would you really think?'

Castle's immediate thought was that he would never have doubted her but he was honest, even with himself, and he wondered if that were the truth.

'What was your relationship with the victim?' Ryan asked, businesslike now.

'I had no relationship with her. I'd never seen her before I got to the crime scene,' Castle almost shouted.

'You're really not helping yourself here, Castle. Just tell us the truth,' said Esposito, his eyes straying to the mirror.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kate sat on the stool in the corner of Lanie's lab, her head down, hiding her face behind long, dark waves. She didn't move when she heard Lanie come back into the room.

'Here ya go, honey. Coffee'll do you good,' Lanie said gently, holding the mug out to her friend.

'Thanks,' said Kate lifting her head just enough to see the outstretched mug. She tried to muster a little smile but she couldn't force her lips up.

'Oh sweetheart, I know. My poor love.'

'You don't know, Lanie…' she started but Lanie interrupted her.

'Of course I do, sweetie. How long have we been friends? I've known that you and Castle have been together since the day you came back from suspension.'

Just a day ago Kate would have been horrified to learn that yet another person knew about their secret romance. Now it seemed so unimportant. The man she loved was accused of a terrible crime and he'd been cheating on her. And she was more worried about him sleeping with another woman than in the possibility he'd killed his lover. His lover. The words made her feel physically sick. She, Kate Beckett, was supposed to be the woman he loved. She was the lover, not the mangled corpse on the gurney across the room. Of course, he hadn't killed her. She had never doubted that truth for a moment. But what sort of person was she to think that it was nearly as bad that he had been sleeping with the victim? Only her anger was keeping her going and she needed that anger because she didn't have time to crumble. She had to prove that Castle was innocent. What happened after that she couldn't yet think about.

'Lanie, is there anyway, anyway at all that Castle's fingerprints could be on that door handle without him touching it?' she said, not meeting her friend's concerned gaze.

'You sure you want to do this, honey?' Kate nodded and Lanie continued, 'None that I know of. I'm so sorry. Unless someone moved the handle from somewhere else…'

'What did you say? What.. what do you mean, Lanie?' said Kate looking up for the first time, her swollen red eyes and blotchy nose testimony to the tears she had already shed today in the privacy of a locked office.

'I was just thinking out loud, Kate. I didn't really mean anything…'

Kate leapt up and started striding around the lab. 'Of course. Someone must have moved the handle. Probably from Castle's place. They got in there to plant the wire and hooks and they must have taken a door knob…'

Kate stopped walking by the gurney. She looked down at the dead girl.

'Who murdered you? And why did they try to make it look like Castle did it?' What she needed now was Castle to bounce ideas off.

'Oh God!' she half sobbed.

'What?'

'The stuff was planted. It was all planted and that means that Castle was telling the truth about everything. He wasn't sleeping with her but I didn't believe him,' and Kate allowed the tears to run again, remembering the hurt in Castle's eyes when she'd questioned him.

'What about the necklace, Kate? He bought that. We know he did.'

'There has to be an explanation for that. I don't know what it is yet but I'm going to find out. I've got to go and see Martha and Alexis now. They'll be sick with worry. There must be some evidence at the loft. Thank you so much, Lanie. You are the best friend ever,' said Kate, hugging her before wiping her face with the back of her hand and grabbing her coat on her way out the door.

Kate rang Castle's doorbell and waited, more than a little uncertain about what reception she'd get. A few hours before she'd taken away Rick in handcuffs. It was hard to imagine that Martha and Alexis would be pleased to see her.

Martha opened the door and swept her into her arms in almost one movement.

'Oh Kate, you poor darling. What are we going to do?'

It was almost too much for Kate who had to swallow the sob that threatened to escape at this tender welcome. She pushed away the tears that strayed from her arms as Martha led her into the room.

'I've got to find out who's behind this, Martha. Someone's gone to an awful lot of trouble…'

'My dad, where's my dad, Detective Beckett?' Alexis stood on the stairs, her face pale and tear stained. She looked much younger than her 18 years, more like the 14 year old girl who Kate had first seen on the day she'd met Castle.

'Alexis, he's still at the station,' said Kate moving towards the girl.

Alexis moved further away from her.

'How could you do this to him? He loves you and you arrested him. You must know he didn't do this.'

'I know. I do know but all the evidence points…'

'But you know he couldn't do this and you're his girlfriend and you still locked him up,' said Alexis, raising her voice above Kate's, tears spilling over and down her cheeks.

'I had to or someone else would have and I'd have been taken off the case. I have to stay on the case so I can prove your dad's innocent. That's why I'm here. I need your help. Both of you,' Kate pleaded.

'How can we help, Kate? We'll do anything, won't we Alexis?' said Martha, holding out her hand to her granddaughter. Alexis nodded and came down the stairs to join them.

Martha sat on the sofa and Alexis snuggled in beside her. Kate sat opposite them, elbows on her knees, leaning towards these women who loved Castle as much as she did.

'Someone has been in this apartment. They planted evidence and I think they may have changed a door handle. I need to know who else could have got in here. I know that the security on this building is tight so I think it must have been someone who was let in…'

'Changed a doorknob? There was a problem a couple of days ago with the front door. I know Dad thought it was weird because it had been fine in the morning,' said Alexis.

'Did someone come to fix it? Do you remember who he called?'

'He called John, the doorman and he said that was lucky because there was a locksmith fixing the fire escape door and he'd send him up.' Kate grabbed the girl's hands.

'That's got to be it. The doorknob and the access to the loft. Alexis, you've blown this case wide open. Thank you so much,' Kate said, pulling the girl into a hug.

Alexis hugged her back and then put her hands on Kate's shoulders and pushed her back. 'Will you get him out now, Detective Beckett,' she said, her face serious.

'I promise you, promise you both,' Kate said taking Martha's hand too, 'that I'll get him out. And Alexis, do you think you might call me Kate now?'

Alexis gave her a watery smile. 'OK,er, Kate. Thank you for looking out for my dad.'

'Always. Though I hope he sees it that way.'


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kate stood by the first of the lock-up cells where she knew that Castle couldn't see her. It had seemed so easy as she was on the way down here but now she was nervous. The last time she'd seen him she'd been shattered by the hurt in his eyes as he'd said that he wanted his lawyer. Another deep breath – she'd needed a lot of those today – and she walked confidently forward. Her resolve nearly broke when she saw him, his head resting against the back wall of the cell. His eyes were closed but she could tell he wasn't sleeping from the strained look on his face and the frown lines than seemed so much deeper etched than they had when she'd woken the previous morning to his smiling face watching her. She decided to keep it light and see what happened.

'Hey Castle'.

He opened his eyes revealing anger and hurt. She had to bite the inside of her lip to stop her chin from trembling.

'What now, Beckett? More questions?' he sounded weary and sad and she forced herself to try to smile.

'Nah, I've come to break you out like I promised.' She wondered if he would remember those words from a long time ago when she'd said she'd get him out of jail. The spark of interest in his eyes told her that he did.

'What do you mean?' he asked, the steel was still in his voice.

'I'm springing you. Time to go. Officer Jones' she called, and a young uniform arrived with the keys. 'Captain Gates has agreed that there's enough doubt about the evidence to let you out on my recognisance. I'm going to have to watch you closely.'

Kate moved to one side while Castle's cell was unlocked and he was released from the cuff that had bound him to the bars. He stood slowly, rubbing his wrist, his eyes on her the whole time. It wasn't the loving look or the playful look or the caring look that she'd grown so used to and so dependent upon. It was an appraising, wary look. He didn't trust her and that seemed only fair after her lack of faith in him. She wanted to rush to him and take his face in her hands and kiss away the hurt but she couldn't do that here. And she knew from long experience that trust was hard won and easily lost. But she'd think about that later. Right now the important thing was to get him home and then to start figuring out who was really behind this murder and why they'd set-up Castle.

'What's going on, Beckett?' he asked, stepping out of the cell, but not looking at her. Instead his eyes followed Officer Jones progress back to his position outside the holding area.

'Someone wants to put you in the frame for this murder and they've gone to a lot of trouble to make a pretty convincing case against you,' she said, not daring to take a step towards him yet.

'Convinced you anyway.'

There was a bitterness to his voice that made her flinch. She had no idea if she'd be able to repair the damage her doubt had caused but she had to try. The alternative, well she couldn't think about that.

'No, Castle,' she said quietly, looking up at him, 'I never thought that you killed her. I know you couldn't do that.'

'Maybe, but you thought I was sleeping with her.' She glanced up but his eyes were steely blue and completely without their usual warmth.

'Let's not do this now, Castle. Not here. Martha and Alexis are waiting for you at home. I'll get a car to take you…'

'So you're not coming?'

She was confused. Did he want her to go with him? He didn't look like he did. She could usually read him as easily as she could read his books but she didn't understand the signals he was sending out.

'Do you want me to come? I need to work the case, find out who's behind this…'

'And I'm not welcome here with you?'

Kate stepped closer to him and looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time and inadvertently allowing Castle to clearly see her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

'Jesus, Castle, what do you want from me? I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry that I thought that you were hiding something from me. I'm sorry that I thought you were cheating on me. I was angry and hurt because I thought you'd been with another woman. The evidence – but never mind the evidence - I should have trusted you and I am more sorry than I can tell you that I didn't. And I really hope that you can forgive me because I don't know what I'll do if you don't. But right now, I can't think about that because we need to find out who's set you up and you can't work the case – at least not at the precinct,' she said, attempting to summon a little grin so he'd understand that he could work with her if he wanted to.

'Whoever this bastard is, he did a pretty good job of framing me, didn't he?' admitted Castle.

'He did, but the cracks are beginning to appear. I'm sure that my partner and I can work it out together.' She looked down at her feet, not wanting to see him look at her in that way that made her insides twist with fear that she might have lost him.

'So, where are we going to work? Your place or mine?' Kate responded to the softer tone in his voice and looked up at him with hopeful eyes. She let out a sigh of relief at returning warmth of his gaze his and she managed a genuine smile at the slight upturn of his lips.

'Your place is warmer and you've got so many cool gadgets,' she said, reaching out her hand to take his.

'I'm still mad you know,' he said, sounding stern but not angry.

'That's fair,' said Kate, nodding agreement. She dropped her head a little and looked up at him through her long lashes. 'There is of course one advantage to you being mad.'

'And what's that, detective?' he asked raising his brows.

'The make-up sex will be fantastic,' she said, risking a little step in his direction.

'Yeah, I'm looking forward to it already,' he said pushing back a stray lock of hair from her cheek. She closed her eyes at the ghost of a touch from the back of his fingers.

'Me too, but we need to find out who's behind this first. Right now you're not just the prime suspect, you're the only suspect.' She dropped his hand but allowed herself to lean into his arm as they walked past the empty cells.

'You don't need to be jealous, you know,' he said, leaning back towards her.

'I know,' she sighed.

'But I guess it must mean that you like me a lot,' said Castle keeping his eyes straight ahead.

'Well, a bit,' Kate answered, not looking at him either.

'A bit!' Castle stopped and looked down at Kate. She stood on tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

'Umm, quite a lot actually,' and they stepped back from each other and smiled before walking out into the hall and the scrutiny of Officer Jones.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Castle finished feeding the last of the information from Beckett's photos of the murder board into his laptop and pressed the button to project it onto the screen. Beckett was getting to be very much at home in the loft and she loved that it smelt so good compared to the precinct but, honestly, she preferred her old-fashioned murder board. She had no intention of telling Castle that, particularly when he was looking so pleased with himself. They'd set up their mini precinct here before, of course, but this time Beckett was officially on the case and Esposito and Ryan could keep her updated without fear of getting caught in the act by Gates. Kate hadn't mentioned to the Captain that she was sharing all the information on the case with their prime suspect. It would only distress her.

Kate studied the board. They had made some progress in the last few hours but they still had no idea who was behind this. Ryan and Esposito had followed up with the locksmith that John, the doorman, had called in when he'd discovered that one of the fire exits wouldn't open. John had called the usual locksmith and hadn't worried that he guy who turned up was new. He had I.D. and the firm was trusted so he'd left him to get on with his work. He hadn't hesitated when Mr Castle had called to send him up to sort out the problem with the lock. Ryan had talked to the locksmith company but they'd never received a call from John. They'd checked phone records and discovered that the call had been re-routed to a burner cell. Someone sure had gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to set-up Castle.

Castle came back from the kitchen with two cups of coffee. He looked tired but more relaxed than she'd seen him since they'd arrested him.

'Thanks,' she looked up and smiled.

'I was going to open a bottle of wine but I thought we should keep clear heads. So what's our next move?' he said, sitting down beside her on the couch.

'Well, at least we've got a lead pointing to someone else now though it would help if you could remember a bit more about the locksmith.'

'I was writing. You know that I don't notice much when I'm writing. All I remember is what I told you. The door had been fine that morning when Alexis had arrived with her laundry – a lot of laundry, by the way - but when I went out to pick up some bread for lunch – there's a fantastic little bakery just opened on the corner…'

'Castle, focus!'

'Sorry, but the bread's so… Yeah, anyway, when I got back from the bakery I really struggled to open the door.'

'And John has confirmed that the locksmith was already here, supposedly working on a fire exit. So while you were out, he tampered with the door and when you got back he was called to fix it. Clever. He must have wiped the door knob when you went out so that he knew that just your prints would be on it when he removed it later. Forensics have confirmed that the door knob at the victim's apartment was newly fixed and matches the others in this building. And the flatmate confirms that it's not the one that was there when she left. Far too upmarket for their landlord. So, when he was working on the door, you noticed _nothing_ about him?' Kate asked, unintentionally stressing the 'nothing'.

'He was wearing brown overalls. He was just ordinary. Glasses, dark hair. That's all I've got.'

Kate tutted.

'What? I didn't know at the time that he was framing me for murder. If I did, I promise I would have paid more attention,' he protested. Kate had to smile at his attempts to defend himself. Just a little wrinkle of the eyes and turn up of the mouth. Castle wasn't off the hook yet. It didn't feel like the time for a big grin.

'So that leaves the jewelry,' Kate said, purposefully not looking at him. She didn't doubt him now. She really didn't. But that photo sure looked like him and she didn't want to risk him spotting even the tiniest question in her face.

'Did you check when the cash was withdrawn from my account?'

'Yep,' said Kate, opening the file on her knee, '9am Tuesday, from an ATM near the Rockefeller Center. You can really draw that much cash out in one go?'

'Yes. One of the many advantages of being rich. Tuesday at 9, where was I on Tuesday at 9? Oh, Tuesday morning, Detective Beckett do you remember what you were doing because I remember exactly what you were doing?' Castle turned to Kate, his eyes wide and mischievous.

'Oh yeah, that was Tuesday morning and we were…'

'More precisely you were…'

'Indeed!'

'I'm glad that you have the decency to blush, Katherine Beckett. Let's hope that the whole of this case doesn't rest on my alibi for withdrawing that cash.'

'Oh God, can you imagine Javi and Kevin's faces,' said Kate, her blush deepening.

'Talking of which, what are the boys up to now?'

'Following the evidence, which still points to you, by the way. So they're checking your emails and phone records…'

'Checking my phone records? Kate do you realise what they'll find? Lots of calls to and from a certain lady at some very unusual times.'

'The victim?' asked Kate, her jaw dropping.

'Jeez, I may sometimes not be the most observant witness, but you are sometimes not so quick on the uptake for a detective. You Kate. Calls to you, from you. Texts. Oh God, do you think they'll read our texts?'

The colour drained from Kate's face as she jumped up to grab her phone.

'Captain Gates? Beckett here, Sir. I was just thinking that maybe we should be directing our resources into different areas now it's clear that Castle's been set-up. I think it would make better use of Esposito and Ryan's time to go back to the jewelry store. I don't think we need them to look at Castle's phone records now.'

Castle watched as Kate's eyes widened.

'They already have? And er, did they er, find anything interesting?' No? No need to check contents of texts? No, I agree, Sir. Thank God. No Sir, I just mean that helps prove that what we think happened did happen. You know, um. Got to go now, Sir. Bye.' Kate looked up a Castle. 'That was close.'

'Yeah, I wonder how close. Let's hope that Ryan checked my phone records and not Esposito.'

'Yeah, cause now Lanie knows…'

'Lanie knows? After the fuss you made when I told Alexis…'

'I didn't tell her. She figured it out. She says she's known since my first day back.'

'She must have the same juju as my mother.'

'Yeah, well we can think about that tomorrow. Right now…'

'You really are going all Scarlett on me, aren't you?'

Kate had no clue what he was talking about and it showed on her face.

'You must have read _Gone with the Wind_. Or at least seen the movie, which by the way, is a pretty good example of how to adapt a novel for the screen. "I'll think about it tomorrow"? It's one of the most famous lines…'

'Yes, Castle. I know who Scarlett O'Hara is but really? Now? We have other things to do and you're going all random on me. Focus,' she said. His propensity to go off a tangent was one of things that made him so useful but also one of the things that drove her a little crazy.

'You know, Castle. I think we should call it a day. We need to get some sleep so we can concentrate on this. And we can't do a lot more until the boys have talked to the woman in the jewelry store. So I think I'll just go…' She let the sentence trail off hoping that he'd ask her to stay.

He got up and took both her hands in his.

'You're right. It's been a tough couple of days. We both need some sleep. I must remember to tell the mayor how uncomfortable it is to try to sleep in those holding cells.'

He leant forward and she closed her eyes and turned her mouth up to meet to his lips but the kiss fell on her forehead.

'Sorry. I'm really tired and it's a little too soon for make-up sex, Kate. Goodnight,' and he walked her to the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Castle leaned his back against the door that he had just shut on Kate. He knew that he had hurt her but he needed some time on his own to think. He'd blown hot and cold with her ever since she'd got him out of the holding cell and he knew that wasn't fair and it wasn't what he wanted to do but he couldn't help it. He was confused and he needed sleep. A bench in lock-up, with your hand cuffed to the bars, a murder charge dangling over you like your very own Sword of Damocles and, worst of all, the woman you loved doubting you, wasn't a great combination for a good rest. Maybe the morning would bring some clarity to his thinking. He pushed himself off the door, away from the place where they had finally given in to their feelings for each other, and slowly made his way to his bedroom. As he closed the door he heard his mother call out to him that they were back but he didn't reply. He didn't often seek solitude but tonight that's what he had to have.

It was only just 7am when Castle rang Kate's doorbell. He'd slept a bit and thought a lot and now he was ready. The minute that he waited in the hall felt like an eon and he was about press the bell again when the door opened. The concern on her face told him that she'd peered through the spy hole at him and that she was worried by this early morning call.

'Hey,' she said quietly, standing aside to let him in.

'Hey,' he answered and passed her, without touching. He hated that they awkward with each other when they'd got used to being so comfortable together.

Kate was wearing a blue nightshirt, that he'd had the pleasure of removing on more than one occasion and her hair was a wonderful tumble of messy waves. Her sleepless night was written on her face. The little bags under her beautiful eyes and her strained look gave him more than a pang of guilt but he didn't give in to his desire to hug her to him and tell her not to worry. That could come later. Maybe. Right now he had to stay on track because there were things that he had to say and it would be too easy to ignore them and let them fester like an ulcer that would destroy them from the inside. He opened his mouth to speak but she got there first.

'Look, Castle, I know how this works. You come to my apartment wearing that look of doom and you tell me all the things that are wrong with me and we fight and you leave…,' she said walking up and down and wringing her hands together.

'I'm not wearing a look of doom,' Castle interjected but she continued as if he hadn't spoken

'And if you're going to break up with me…' she said, still walking.

'Break up with you?'

'Before I've even had my breakfast…'

'I'm not breaking up with you.'

'It's just not…'

'I'm not breaking up with you, Kate, before or after breakfast,' said Castle raising his voice over hers.

Kate stopped walking and turned to look at him from across the room where she'd come to a halt.

'You're not here to break up with me?' she asked, the concern still evident on her face and in the mistiness growing in her eyes.

'Why would I break up with you, Kate? I love you.'

'You do? You still love me?' she asked in disbelief, the first tears catching in her long lashes.

'Of course, I still love you,' he said, his resolution to keep his distance until he'd said what he needed to say forgotten as he crossed the room in two steps to pull her to him in a tight hug.

Kate buried her face in his jacket, her little sobs muffled by his tight embrace. He stroked her hair.

'Shhh, now, Katie. No need to cry. Shhh. Shall I make you pancakes? You know how you love my pancakes.'

Her crying subsided into sniffs and he felt her nodding her agreement against his chest.

'Now if you can just stop using my jacket to wipe your nose, I'll give you my hankie,' he said, loosening his hug so that he could look down at her. He held her with one arm and pulled a red handkerchief from his pocket with the other. He raised her chin with his finger and then dabbed her tears.

'You do make good pancakes,' she said with a sniff, releasing the lapels of his jacket that she'd been clutching tightly and taking his hankie to blow her nose.

'And after breakfast, we'll talk,' said Castle, stroking her hair. Kate took a step back.

'We need to talk?' She said the concern creasing the area between her brows again.

'We do.'

'What do we need to talk about?' she said, mangling his hanky in her hands.

'Let's wait until after you've eaten.'

'A er,' she said shaking her head, 'I won't be able to eat. If we have to talk we talk now.' She walked away and sat on the couch, raising her chin defiantly in that cute way that made him want to kiss her.

'You know you always feel better on a full stomach,' he said, but he sat on the armchair at the end of the sofa so their knees were almost touching, knowing that he wouldn't shake her determination.

Kate chewed her bottom lip and held his gaze.

'The last couple of days have been difficult for both of us…' he started.

'I know but I'm really sorry…' she interrupted.

'Kate, just let me say what I need to. Please,' he said firmly, but taking her hand in both of his to soften his words.

'I've been thinking. I've been thinking about why it's been so hard and I think it's because we haven't talked.' Kate opened her mouth to speak but he held up a finger to stop her. 'We've had a magical few months, Kate, but we haven't talked about how we got here and there are some things I'd like to tell you. When I'm finished you can decide whether there's anything you want to tell me. No pressure. It's up to you.'

Kate maintained eye contact, but her hand tightened in his as if in fear. He gave her a little reassuring smile.

'We've got history, Kate. History together and history before we knew each other. I'm not asking for your number - but if you want to tell me I'll be listening.' He was glad to see that that raised a little smile.

'I was attracted to you when you first took me in for questioning but maybe you were right to resist my ruggedly handsome charm then because I didn't truly appreciate you until later. You weren't like any woman I'd ever met and the more I knew you the more I wanted to know you. I can't say exactly when I fell in love with you but I gradually realised that I didn't just want to sleep with you. I wanted to be with you, however maddening and frustrating you were. No other woman came anywhere near the standard you set. I'd spent a lot of years bedding a lot of women,' Castle paused as he saw Kate's eyes dropping and gave her hand a little squeeze, 'but I didn't want to do that anymore, Kate. I just wanted to be with you. I haven't slept with anyone since I was with Gina. Not even that first class flight attendant,' he added as he saw the question in the eyes that came back up to search his face.

'I wouldn't cheat on you, Kate. I've done a lot of things but I've never cheated on someone I've been in a relationship with. At least, not before they have. I know that the evidence has been stacked against me the last couple of days and, now I've had time to think about it, I understand why you had doubts and I'm really happy to know that you never thought I was a murderer but I want you to know that you can trust me, Kate. I need you to trust me.'

Castle looked down at their intertwined hands and gently stroked the back of her hand wit his fingers.

'Can I speak now?' Kate asked and Castle nodded his agreement. 'Pancakes, let's have pancakes.'


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

'Pancakes?' asked Castle

'I'm hungry and you promised me pancakes.' said Kate, curling her legs up on the sofa and relaxing.

'That's all you have to say?'

'And coffee. I need coffee.'

Castle looked disappointed but he got up and headed to the kitchen. It was Kate's turn to think. She had a lot to process. He'd answered questions she'd never asked but she admitted to herself now that they were questions that had nagged at her and not just since they'd been together. She knew that she had no right to him before that night when she'd come to him in the rain and told that him that he was all she wanted, but in so many ways they'd seemed like a couple-in-waiting for years.

She had tried to protest when he said that they never talked because they talked all the time and had done for years. Well, Castle had talked for years; she'd taken her time to open up but, as she grew to trust him, she'd let him into her life completely. She had never trusted anyone else enough to allow them to really know her. But he was right. They talked about everything and nothing because they were such good friends and so comfortable together. They had slipped so easily into their new life as lovers, they had never sat down and talked about how they had got there and what had come before. So Kate sat on the sofa watching Castle prepare her breakfast and thought about the right way to tell him what he needed to know.

They ate their pancakes in silence. It was Castle's turn to look wary now. She knew that he needed her to say something but Kate wanted to get it right and she was hungry. Castle was correct – as he so often was about her – she was better on a full stomach. She was like a coiled spring, holding tight in case she let go too soon, as she mopped up the maple syrup with her last pancake and sat back.

'Best pancakes ever,' she said smiling at him. She drained her coffee cup and pushed her plate away. A deep breath and she was ready.

'Unlike you, I can't say I've never cheated on anyone, Castle,' she said as he raised his eyebrows in surprise but, at the same time, cupped his chin in his hand the way he so often did when he was excited to listen to something she had to tell him about herself.

'I cheated on Demming and Josh.'

'With whom?' he said, genuinely shocked, lifting his head from his hand.

'With you.'

'I think I'd remember…'

'In my mind and, more than once, almost in fact.'

'Oh, do tell,' he said settling back down to enjoy the story, his eyes dancing.

'Shhh! I was quiet for you. You have to be quiet for me.'

'Sorry.'

'Shhhhh! I know that your ego doesn't need anymore feeding, but I admit that I was attracted to you almost as soon as I met you. But you were cocky and irritating and a player…'

'If this is feeding my ego…'

'Be quiet, Castle,' she said quelling him with a glare. 'But then I got to know you and I found out that you were also kind and thoughtful and I grew to… I grew to like you very much and to trust you like I'd never trusted anyone. I know that you are always on my side and that I can always rely on you but I didn't want to be just another notch on your bedpost. I've never trusted anyone as much as I trust you, Castle, but I guess I was scared to let you in because I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. As friends, I could just about deal with the thought of you with other women but now… I know we never said we'd be exclusive but…'

'It didn't need to be said, Kate.'

'I know, but I worried…'

'Though if I'd known about your cheating past…'

'Castle…'

'I know I'm still speaking but can we get on to the bit where you cheated with me…' He squeezed his lips shut with his thumb and forefinger in response to another glare.

'I'm not great at relationships but I'm trying really hard. I know I can trust you but sometimes doubt creeps in, like when I catch you with another woman's boobs in your face – I know,' she said, holding up her hand to silence him, '- or when you fingerprints are at another woman's apartment and you seem to be buying jewelry for her. Frankly, Castle, I think that could stretch even the most trusting of relationships. But I don't want to try to defend myself. I need you to know that I'm doing my very best and I appreciate everything that you've told me today. I promise that I'll try. I'll try as hard as I can to have faith in you like you have in me. And if sometimes I fail, please have patience with me because I want this so much. I want us to work.'

'And the cheating…'

'Castle!'

'Well you did say…'

'OK. Well, Demming and Josh were both safe. They liked me and I liked them and I didn't risk much by being with them because I didn't, um, well, neither of them was going to hurt me.'

'You think I'll hurt you, Kate?' Castle asked without a smile.

'Because this - you and me - matters so much, Castle. Demming was a sort of protection. You were getting under my skin and that was scary. I was with him but I was thinking about you. And then I split up with him because I thought you and I might… but you took off with Gina for the summer and …'

'You split up with him before Gina and I got back together?'

'Aha. And then you were with her and Josh came along and he was nice, really nice…'

'Nice is such a non-committal word,' said Castle, rolling his eyes.

'But nice wasn't enough and you kept tempting me with more than nice. Like in LA when I nearly gave in…'

'You did?'

'Nearly. Even though Josh saves lives everyday and he's so tall,' she said teasing him.

'Enough about motorcycle boy,' he said looking away.

Kate reached out to squeeze his hand. 'But I didn't love them, Castle.'

'And you…?'

'And now I need a shower before we get back to work,' she said, smiling widely.

'Do you need some help with that?' asked Castle, leaning forward to stroke her cheek.

Kate leant towards him, her lips parted as her phone rang.

'Damn,' she said pulling away.

'Beckett,' she said before pausing to listen. 'Hey Espo… Great… Aha. So we'll meet you there. Oh, she did? OK. I'll do what I can. Thanks Espo,' and she hung up.

'They caught a break, a big break, on the case.'

'Ahhh, we'd better go then,' said Castle, leaning back and biting his lip.

Kate took his hand and stood up.

'Captain Gates has everything under control. She thinks it's best, in view of your involvement, that I keep you out of way. As you were released on my recognisance,' she said, lips parted to show the tip of her tongue. Castle rose to stand above her.

'Well, we must do as Captain Gates says.' He pulled her towards him. 'What was that you were saying about a shower, Detective Beckett?'

'I think I was saying that I might need some help, Mr Castle. Do you think you can oblige?' she said, her lips hovering under his.

'Providing that you tell me about how you cheated with me in your mind,' he said, pulling her even closer.

Kate put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down for a slow, deep kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

'It seems that we may not be needed for a few hours, Mr Castle,' said Kate, leading him towards the bathroom. 'Can you think of anything to occupy our time?'

'Well, Detective Beckett, I think that it is always a good idea to start new projects early in the morning so that you have plenty of time to devote to your mission. After all, there may be surprising developments that need extra special attention'.

Castle stopped and swung her back towards him so that their bodies collided and Kate gave a little gasp as she found herself held close against him, her hands on his chest.

'Eeww! What's that on your jacket? Ahh, sorry, all that crying and, er, sniffing,' she said wrinkling her nose in distaste. 'I'm gonna wash my hands. Why don't you slip that off. And anything else you want to take off while you're at it,' she added, smiling at him over her shoulder.

Castle smiled back, his eyebrows doing their little dance, and then gingerly removed the jacket. As he dropped it over the back of a chair, the doorbell rang. He started to move towards the door and then thought the better of it. The bell rang again and again. This caller was persistent.

'Kate,' he called, but the bathroom door was closed. Three long buzzes led him to peer through the spy-hole. A uniformed police officer was on the other side.

'Detective Beckett? Captain Gates needs you to look at something. She said it's important,' the policeman called, pounding on the door.

Castle, pondered for a moment. The officer was looking down so Castle couldn't see his face but he didn't recognise the voice. What harm could there be in opening the door? After all, although it was early, he was fully clothed and Gates had told Beckett to watch him. He decided that, even if the officer reported back that he was at Kate's apartment, the chances of Gates drawing any conclusions about their relationship were very slim. So he turned the handle and bang! The door was forced into his face, knocking him back. As he tried to maintain his balance, the officer was through the door and had a gun to Castle's head and he was looking up at a very familiar face.

'But you're…'

'You. That's right,' said the officer, taking off his hat with his free hand to allow Castle to get a clear look at this man who looked just like him. 'Where's Beckett?' he said, glancing around, but keeping the gun against Castle's temple.

'Not here,' said Castle.

'Not true! She hasn't left this apartment. So where is she?' he said, dragging the gun down Castle's face until it was pressing so hard into him, he could taste blood from where his teeth were grinding into his cheek.

'Who are you?' asked Castle, his curiosity getting the better of him.

'I'm you, obviously.'

'But how?'

'A very clever surgeon. He's not with us anymore.'

'Why? Why do you do that?' said Castle, trying to edge his face a little away from the gun to ease the pain in his cheek.

'Where's Beckett?' he said, ignoring the question.

'She's here,' said Kate. Castle kept his head still but his eyes followed the sound of her voice to the bedroom door. She was wearing a bathrobe, and her gun was pointing at the other Castle's head. 'Put down the gun now or I'll blow your new face right off.'

'No you won't. If you kill me my finger might twitch and take your boyfriend's face off too. It'd only take a little twitch and you won't risk that.'

As he spoke, he twisted slightly so that Castle was between them.

'But why? Who are you?' asked Castle again, earning him another dig with the gun.

'Doesn't matter who I used to be. You two ruined my life. Put me away but I got out, because I'm real clever. I've had plenty of time to plan my revenge. You going down for murder so you could find out what it's like for a pretty boy in prison, particularly one who's worked with the cops. And you, Beckett, pining away for you're lover boy. It was worth changing my face for that but the two of you spoiled it all again. Figuring out how I planted the fingerprints. Ruining everything again.'

'But with you buying the jewelry with my face, I'd have stayed in the frame. Why not leave things to take their course?'

'I got tired of playing games. I wanted to see you two suffer. So Beckett, you put down that gun now or pretty boy won't be so pretty much longer.'

'I'm not a pretty boy,' snapped Castle twisting away, just far enough for Kate to get a clear shot and she took it, hitting the man in the shoulder. His gun fired, the bullet harmlessly burying itself in the couch. Castle kicked the gun out of reach as he sprung to his feet.

'You hurt, Castle?' Kate asked and she ran across to cuff the suspect.

'I'm fine but this is so not my week. This is so weird. He looks so like me.'

'Don't worry, Castle. He might be a bit of a pretty boy but he's definitely not ruggedly handsome,' Kate said with a little upturn of her mouth.

'And it's not very clever to claim to be "real" clever either,' Castle said to the man writhing on the ground. 'Really clever, but not real clever. If you want to be me you need to improve your grammar.'

Captain Gates was sitting in her office looking at Kate and Castle over her glasses.

'It's an extreme way to get revenge. We still don't know who he is but DNA will reveal that soon. What could drive somebody to do something so drastic?'

'Sociopathic behaviour defies logic,' said Castle.

'Indeed, Mr Castle. I'm glad that we didn't discover that you were a sociopath.'

'Thank you, Captain. I'm grateful…' Castle started, with a self-satisfied grin.

'Because it would have been very embarrassing for this department if it emerged that a psychopathic killer had been allowed to work alongside New York detectives.'

Castle rolled his eyes and Kate looked at him with sympathy but hid a little smile behind her hand. They got up to go.

'By the way, Mr Castle, why were you at Detective Beckett's apartment so early in the morning?' asked Gates.

'I, er..' he stumbled.

'Um, you told me to watch him, Captain Gates, so I asked him to come to my place as soon as he woke up,' said Kate hoping she wasn't blushing.

'I see,' said Gates, leaving them wondering just how much she did see.

Esposito and Ryan were waiting in the bull pen.

'Sorry you had to go through that, my friend. I hope that you understand that we were doing what we had to do. We never thought for a moment that you could have been the murderer but we had to follow the evidence,' said Esposito, grabbing Castle's shoulder.

Ryan nodded his agreement.

'No problem though I think you both owe me now and I'm going to have to think carefully about what I'll need from you,' said Castle sitting on Kate's desk as she dropped into her chair.

'Oh I don't know about that, Castle,' said Ryan trading glances with Esposito, 'I think you and Beckett owe us.'

'And how do you come up with that idea?' said Beckett, leaning forward in her chair.

'Well, there's the little matter of the phone records that we didn't mention to Iron Gates,' said Kevin, raising his eyebrows.

'Yeah, you two so owe us,' said Espo, bumping hands with Ryan.

'Oh, er, well, those calls were about work…' Castle trailed off as he saw the disbelieving looks on their faces.

'Guys, please don't say…' started Beckett.

'Don't worry, Beckett. We got your back. But I can't promise we're not going to have a little fun,' said Esposito, as he and Ryan moved back to their own desks.

'Oh God, they are going to so enjoy this,' said Kate, holding her head in her hands.

'Yeah,' said Castle, 'and I bet they're going to want my Ferrari again.'

Kate and Castle left the remnants of their Thai take-out on the table. Neither of them had had the energy to cook after the trauma of the last few days. Kate had already lit the candles in her bedroom and shadows danced on the walls in the flickering light. They stopped by the bed and Kate reached up to stroke the livid bruise on Castle's cheek. She lifted herself on to her tiptoes to gently kiss the purple smudge.

'Still ruggedly handsome,' she said, her fingers running through his thick hair.

He brushed a curl from her forehead as he looked down at her, and she noticed the dark rims under his deep blue eyes.

'Maybe you should just sleep, Castle. It's been a helluva day – again.'

'No way. I'm on a promise,' he said pulling back a little.

'Make-up sex?'

'That and full details of all the cheating we did that I missed,' his eyes wrinkling into one of those cute smiles that made her warm all over.

He leant down to kiss her lightly on the lips, leaving her wanting so much more.

'You slip into bed. I'll be back in a minute,' Kate said, brushing her lips against the his neck and enjoying watching the effect this had on him before she slipped away to the bathroom.

As Kate ran the brush through her thick waves she thought about how lucky she was. Their foundations had been rocked but they had withstood the earthquake. They were stronger, more sure of each other than ever and tonight she'd show him how much she cared for him.

The bedroom was silent when she came back. She could see Castle's broad chest rising and falling rhythmically. She slid across the bed to join him, running her hands across his chest and kissing his temple. He stirred but didn't respond and she realised that his eyes were closed. He was asleep. He'd fallen asleep on her. She sighed and snuggled into him so that her head was on his chest and she was secure in the crook of his arm.

'I love you, Rick,' she said and she felt his arm tighten a little as if he'd acknowledged that on some subconscious level. At least there was the morning together to look forward to. She'd give him a wake-up call to remember. After all, as Scarlett said, tomorrow was another day.


End file.
